Colgate president’s legacy: Helping college grow, improve

Thursday

Feb 26, 2009 at 12:01 AMFeb 26, 2009 at 2:15 PM

One of Rebecca Chopp’s fondest memories as the 15th president of Colgate University was sitting in the football stands cheering on her Division I school with the brightly colored autumn leaves in the background.

REBECCA CRONISER

One of Rebecca Chopp’s fondest memories as the 15th president of Colgate University was sitting in the football stands cheering on her Division I school with the brightly colored autumn leaves in the background.

“It’s been nice to have the four seasons,” the Kansas native said.

But what Chopp, 56, will be remembered for after she leaves her post in May, is establishing a strategic plan for the university that has led to unprecedented building and academic growth, officials said.

COLGATE UNIVERSITY

Founded: 1819

Students: 2,800

Full-time Faculty: 277

Expenses (07-08): Tuition: $37,405; Total cost: $48,710

REBECCA CHOPP
Title: President of Colgate University since July 1, 2002

Age: 56

Salary: $367,883 last year

Residence: Hamilton

Family: Married to Frederick Thibodeau. They have three sons.

She also expanded university-community partnerships, developed the most successful fundraising campaign in Colgate’s history with a goal of $400 million, oversaw increases in admissions, improvement of student quality and expansion of programs supporting diversity.

Chopp, who will become president of Swarthmore College July 1, said all the changes came about because of one goal.

“I really try to make sure students have and are using all the resources they can to enhance their academic life,” she said.

Professor of geography Ellen Kraly headed the search committee that appointed Chopp in 2002.

“We had a very clear vision of what we were hoping for,” Kraly said. “Rebecca achieved that. She focused the lens of academic programming.”

That’s something students recognized as well.

“It’s less of a party school and more about studying now,” freshman Ananya Das said.

He said the university’s stronger reputation drew him to the school.

“She’s responsible for leading the college through that,” he said.

The changing programs have helped increase the number of applicants by 50 percent to an estimated 9,500, Chopp said.

“It allows the school to be more selective with the students,” she said.

Colgate has also increased diversity from about 18 percent of students of color to 24 percent, Chopp said.

Chopp, who began in July 2002, replaced Charles Karelis who resigned after heading Colgate for two years.

“We urgently needed leadership and someone to set us in a firm direction,” said Dean of Faculty and Provost Lyle Roelofs. “She did that.”

Roelofs will serve as the interim president next year until a permanent replacement can be found.

Chopp also helped to establish Colgate’s Upstate Institute, which Kraly heads. The institute is one of four on campus that facilitates research and discussion among faculty and students.

“So many people are engaged in many ways here,” Kraly said. “That’s why so many are sorry to see Rebecca Chopp go.”

‘One more’

Chopp, who earned $367,883 last year, said her decision to leave Colgate was based on the university’s accomplishments over the years.

“It’s a good time,” she said. “We’ve finished implementing the strategic plan and have made some strides in Colgate’s history.”

Chopp said she and her husband — Frederick H. Thibodeau, a local minister — also wanted to work with one more college before she retires.

“We wanted to make sure we could do one more college presidency,” she said.

Chopp joined the university from Yale Divinity School, where she served as dean and Titus Street Professor of Theology. Prior to joining the Yale Divinity School, Chopp spent 15 years at Emory University.

Some were surprised by the announcement last week of Chopp’s decision, but she said at seven years at Colgate, she’s not that far off the average eight-year stint of college presidents.

Replacing Chopp

The search for the next Colgate president is expected to take at least year, said Colgate Manager of Media Communications Anthony Adornato.

A search committee made up of alumni, faculty, staff and students will be named in the spring.

The university also plans to dedicate a Web site to the search to keep the community informed of the school’s progress. A link will be added to the university’s home page in the spring.

Next year, the university is facing many of the challenges of colleges around the country: a declining pool of high school seniors in the northeast and a tough economy that has hit endowments hard.

Chopp said her work is not done at Colgate yet. She is still working to help the school prepare for a tough few years and working to set new policies and the budget. Chopp would not outline those policies Thursday saying they will be announced with the budget at the end of March.

Administrators say the school is ready to face that even without a president.

“It will be a hard time next year if we have a president or do not have a president,” Roelofs said. “We’ve had a lot of time to set in motion the kind of decision making process we’ll need to rely on next year.”